The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-05-07
SECTION vHL.-THE yICKsBuRG CAM.
pNIGN.


SECTION vnL-THE VICKsBuRG CAM
PAIGN.
Vicksburg was called the Gibraltar OF tho
West II was certainly tho greatest
stronghold on tho Mississippi river, and
after the fall OF the dcflnses above and tho
capturo OF Forts St Philip and Jackson
near the mouth with the consequent tall OF
New Orleans Vlck,burg bccam, tho Key
10 the further obstrucl on OF thh RIVER by
tho Comic lcratcs. Aft0r tho failure or
Shcrman's attack in 1852, rendezvous Tor
troops was made at Mllikcn's Bend, La,
twenty miles above Nicksburg,
After the non-succcss OF various plans
for the capture OF the coveted stronghold,
Grant in the sprng OF lHji, resolved u got
position on tbs river b1.ow by marching
his army ncr. ~ tho peninsula, IN LOUISIANA
oppos!to VicGsburg, formed by an abrupt
bend in tho Mississippi.
For this expedition preparations were
begun in March. Toward the later part
OF this month tho writer's reg m'nt was
ordered aboard . boat f., VicksDurg
Getting all ready and loa led consumed
awholc Gay, Cnl as night drcw near So
vero sncw-storm came up. Tho boat got
undo: way ABOUT midnight N2.t morning
tho storm had sub5i!cd and the sun cdmo
out end bright.
On tho way several Pun'boati wore
passed. cnl c.ways spoken 70 rs they pa
tro.led tho river AM knew points where
passing yc9an,s were most liable - be lrod
into b. .,.1'
The sailors on the gun-bon,s always
seemed clean and well dressed, and the
deck and all parts of the vessel IN sight
appeared neat and orderly
In more than one instance, too, ~ was
noticed that Jack, having Just done his
washing, had hung II out To dry upon u
line stretched upon the glnrboat deck.
Most of the gun-DOats were heaYiy mailed
with iron, hence were called Eon-c'dts.
They were not all built after the same pat
tern, however.
Another kind Of warhke craft were the
tin-ciads. These were ordinary steam boats
protected with thin iron plating that was
impcrvious to musket balls. These were
armed with several light pieces OF artillery
and manned with n number Of sharp-shOoL
ers On the trip down the river several
boats laden with troops were encountered.
Toward noon on the second day Millikcns
Bend, twenty miles above NIcksburg, on
the Louisiana side, was reached, ana nero
the regiment ebarkcd and won't INTO camp.
The place selected was near the eycc that
all along the low lands next the river
had been throwing up to protect the aiJF
cent plantations IN time of high water In
many places these had broken, AM nearly
the whole region was inundated; tho bay
Gus and lagOons had meantime grown into
inland seas.
IN a iain
writer's regiment belonged was reviewed
by General Grant The writer had never
before seen that officer, and hence rs near
d view az possible was obtained.
He was on horseback, ard attended by
few staH officers.
As each regiment pass ID in his front the
officers presented (rascd) Their swords,
the men their pieces, In salutatioa. Grant,
in recognition, quietly raised his hat Oar
ing the following three moaths General
Grant became familiar figure. AT this
time be was possibly little heavier FOR
his stature than the average man, yet was
not at all overburdcncd with flesh. Ho
wore short, stubby, slightly redd sh-brown
whIskcrs, and seemed TO hold his head a
little TO ono side; this gave him modest
appearance.
A largo tcnt had been stretched, and in
this upon cots the sick were placed ana
made as com Portable as possible. ono
thing they certainly had in abundance was
fresh air. The water used came from tho
river which, at the time, was very high
and full OF sediment. A bucket OF water
dipped from it and allowed TO stand aThlle
would have at its bottom more than an inch
Of settings.
But Mississippi river water is considered
healthy and is quito pleasant in taste.
Pretty soon after the review came an or
der to move marchng oriors." The sick
were directed TO be all taken to hospital.
boat, by which they would b. taken up the
river Accordingly they wcro put in am
balances and in barge Of the writcr, taken
TO the place designated,
Already the writer has use several
times the word ambuiCncc; this, to the road
er whose memory does not reach pack 10
war time may need explanation. An am
buidncc, then, is simply light vehicle on
springs W Tia shallow be | ina strong
canvas cover over head. Tn, back end
gate worked on hinges ut the bottom so 1t
could be in family let down ana the very
sick or badly injured slipped out, and not
lifted over avoidabo distractions
AS before said the sick were put into
ambuances, such IA were able sitting on
their blankets rolled up, tn SO very SICK
lying upon theirs spread out
A tram of ambulanccs loa led with sick
made dreary procession, but ut the head
of one of these the writer led the way to a
hospital boat named, if the writer's nom
ory serves him we'll, the "D. A. January
Each sick man when taken aboard had has
name checked. The name, rank, company
regiment, brigade, etc, were gwen care
fully TO the authorities on the boat
After the sick were aboard and made
comfortable, the writer took occasion u
look about tho boat and was much pleased
Although he had frequently visited the